Hard Choices
by DragonKatGal
Summary: COMPLETE. Oneshot. General Hammond has some long awaited for news for Janet Fraiser. S2ish.


Hard Choices

DISCLAIMER: Stargate belongs to MGM and Gekko and a few others. I don't own it, nor am I earning any money from this little flight of fancy.

SETTINGS: Sometime in season three. No real spoilers.

SUMMARY: General Hammond has some 'good' news for Doctor Fraiser.

PAIRINGS: None really. Just some mushy bonding between Janet and Cassandra.

**ONWARDS**:

"Doctor?"

Doctor Janet Fraiser was startled out of her thoughts by a sharp rap on the door. She looked up, and was on her feet before she'd ever really registered who was at the door.

"General Hammond," she greeted him.

"At ease doctor," Hammond replied, waving for her to take her seat again.

Ever the trained military officer, she took her seat and watched as Hammond closed the door behind him settled into a chair opposite her desk. He placed a manila folder on the desk between them and pushed it towards the doctor.

"Problems sir?" Janet asked, mentally going over everything that she'd been meant to do for the door, satisfied that she'd handed in all of her reports on time and had nothing left that could have angered the General into coming down to her office.

"Not a problem exactly," Hammond replied. He pointed towards the folder. "You should probably have a look at that."

Janet pulled the folder towards her and flipped it open. She glanced at the information and felt her stomach tense in surprise. This was definitely not what she'd been expecting.

"Sir?"

"I realise its been a while, doctor," Hammond said.

"Two years," Janet replied, swallowing hard.

"Doctor…if you feel this shouldn't go ahead, then you do have the right to contest this," Hammond informed her.

Janet looked up, wondering if she was that easy to read. Hammond only smiled gently at her.

"Two years is a long time, doctor. And you'll have my full support if you decide that you wish to go against the recommendations of the DOD," Hammond said.

"Thank you," Janet said. She hadn't expected any less really. Even after her first week on the job she'd known that Hammond was not like most of her old commanding officers. He actually cared about the soldiers in his command, and he would go to great lengths to ensure they were safe and happy.

"Now, I suggest you take the rest of the afternoon off," Hammond said. "Spend some time with you…daughter."

Janet smiled at the word and nodded, taking the folder with her as she walked quietly out of her office, ignoring the worried glances being flashed her way by worried nurses and doctors. They would find out sooner or later.

------------------------

"Hey Janet!" Cassandra Fraiser yelled as the door flew open. She dumped her bag at the foot of the stairs before racing into the kitchen. She flashed Janet a grin and gave the woman a quick squeeze around the shoulders.

"Guess what? Jamie's mom said it was alright if I went over there this Friday night. Cos I know Sam and the others are jumping out this weekend, so you're kinda never around on Friday cos of all the poking and prodding you gotta do. So, I thought I could spend some time with her, y'know. Is that okay?"

Janet just listened to the rambling explanation with some amusement as her adopted daughter moved around the kitchen, making herself a sandwich as a snack. Cass poured out two glasses of juice, handing one to Janet as she took a seat opposite the doctor at the table.

"So?" Cassandra asked expectantly. "Can I go?"

"Of course you can sweetheart," Janet replied.

Cassandra flashed her a grin before biting into her sandwich. She watched Janet for a moment, trying to work out what it was that had her so quiet. Cass swallowed the portion of her snack and stared hard at the other woman.

"Are Sam and Jack okay?" Cassandra asked.

Janet looked up, startled by the question. "They're fine Cass," Janet assured her.

"And Daniel and Teal'c? They're okay too?"

"Cass, if there was anything wrong with them, I'd tell you, you know that," Janet replied.

"Okay…then why are you so quiet?" Cassandra asked.

Janet sighed, wondering just when it was that the girl had become so astute. She hadn't always been able to read people so well. She wondered if Cass had picked it up from her or from somewhere else.

"Cass…what would you say if I told you that the DOD found you a family," Janet said quietly. "A real family. With a mom and a dad and an older sister."

Cassandra froze in her seat, her eyes going wide. With shaking hands she put the sandwich down and tried to control her breathing.

"A family," Cassandra repeated, uncertain she'd heard Janet properly.

The doctor nodded, trying not to show her own worry. This had to be Cassandra's choice, no matter what Janet's feelings in the matter were.

"Where?" Cassandra asked.

"In Denver," Janet replied. "You'd still be able to visit Sam every other weekend."

"I don't care about Sam!" Cassandra yelled, jumping away from the table.

"Cass…"

"No! You…you're sending me away!" Cassandra yelled. "I don't get it, I thought you cared about me. I…I thought you loved me!"

"I do!" Janet replied, tears welling in her eyes. "Cass, you have no idea how much I love you."

"Then why do you want to get rid of me?" Cassie demanded.

The distraught teen raced out of the kitchen and clomped up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Janet winced as she heard Cass's bedroom door slam shut, the house rocking slightly in protest. After a slight pause the pounding beat of angry-chick music filled the house, and Janet sighed.

Upstairs in her room Cassandra flung herself on her bed, crying desperately. It wasn't fair! She'd lost her family, her home, her god-dammed planet, and now she was going to lose Janet as well. Just when she'd really started feeling settled in her new life.

As expected, she heard the sound of insistent knocking at her bedroom door. It wasn't as though it was locked, but she knew that Janet wouldn't enter unless Cass allowed her to. It was something that Cass had stressed after she'd turned thirteen.

Wiping at her eyes Cassie rolled off the bed and moved towards the door. She didn't want to have this conversation now, but she supposed there was no point in delaying it. She opened the door knob and sulkily made her way back to the bed, flopping face-down, facing away from Janet.

Cassandra wasn't surprised when her deafeningly-loud music was turned off, and her mattress sank at the side. She felt a gentle hand press against her lower back and soothing fingers combing through her hair. It was a familiar gesture that brought even more tears to Cassie's eyes.

"Cass…I don't think you really understood me earlier," Janet said softly. "I'm not sending you anywhere. I just…you had the right to know. I know that it's hard here sometimes. Y'know, I work long hours and I'm not always here. You…you might be better off having a mom who can be there for you."

Cassie murmured something into her pillow that Janet didn't quite catch. She leant closer to the girl and asked her to repeat it. Cassie reluctantly pulled her face out of the pillow and looked up at Janet with a tear-streaked face.

"But…you _are_ my mom," Cassie whispered.

A tear fell unchecked down Janet's cheek and she felt her heart catch, a tight coil of emotion threatening to unravel as she heard the heartfelt declaration.

Janet pulled Cassie into a tight hug, and they stayed there, holding onto one another for dear life. Janet stroked the girls hair and Cassie cried into her mother's shoulder, her hands clenching into fists around the hem of Janet's t-shirt.

"You really want to stay with me?" Janet asked.

Cassie nodded, but didn't pull away from her.

Janet pressed a fierce kiss to the top of Cassie's head, unable to believe the rush of love she felt for the young girl in her arms. So this was what being a parent felt like. No wonder so many of the parents who worked at the SGC gushed over their kids.

"Please…mom, please?"

That one whispered plea was enough to convince Janet that she would go through hell and back for this young woman. She would go head-to-head with the DOD just to ensure that Cassie remained with her. She would never let anything happen to hurt the child in her arms.

Her _daughter _wasn't going anywhere.

END.

Thanks for reading folks. This little ficlet just wouldn't leave me alone, y'know.


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